Bag Stack Assembly

ABSTRACT

A bag stack assembly ( 10 ) comprises a stack of bags ( 12 ). Each bag in the stack comprises front and back walls with closed sides, a closed base end, an open mouth end opposite the base end and a pair of handles extending from the open mouth end. The handles are connected together by means of an attachment bar block of material spaced from the open mouth end. The stack is folded about a fold line F extending across the bag. A jacket ( 14 ) retains the stack in the folded condition. The bar block is retained in a separate retainer ( 16 ) which is secured to the stack by cooperation between a retainer formation ( 28, 30 ) and the bar block. The folded stack protrudes from the retainer to allow removal of the bag from the stack.

The present invention relates to a bag stack assembly, particularly although not exclusively limited to a bag stack assembly for use in a retail store to allow dispensing of carrier bags.

It is known to provide a stack of carrier bags in a pre-formed bags dispenser. One example is shown in international patent publication number WO99/30985. The pre-formed bags dispenser disclosed in WO99/30985 comprises a container having an access aperture and a stack of folded pre-formed bags located therein. The bags are arranged in the container in such a way that the access aperture lies near the fold. The bags have a pair of handles which extend from their mouth end. The handles are connected together by means of a bar block of bag material. The block of bag material is separably attached to the handles and is used to retain the stack of bags in the container. Pulling of the front wall of the uppermost bag through the aperture results in the handles detaching from the bar block of material, the bag opening and being withdrawn through the aperture.

Containers of the type described in WO99/30985 are normally arranged in a bracket which holds the container at 90° to the horizontal. In that way, the weight of the stack of bags tends to tension the front face of the uppermost bag of the stack of bags which assists in the picking and removal process of the bag by the user. However, it is has been found that containers are often incorrectly installed in the brackets upside down. In that case, the weight of the stack of bags tends to cause them to concertina towards the handles thereof, thus releasing tension on the front face of the uppermost bag in the stack. That renders the uppermost bag more difficult to pick and remove.

It is also desirable to reduce the material required to form the container.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved bag stack assembly.

In accordance with the first aspect of the invention there is provided a bag stack assembly comprising a stack of bags, each bag in the stack comprising front and back walls with closed sides, a closed base end, an open mouth end opposite the base end and a pair of handles extending from the open mouth end, the handles being connected together by a separate attachment part at a point spaced from the open mouth end, the stack being folded about a fold line extending from one closed side to another closed side, the fold line being arranged between the closed base end and the open mouth end, and stack fold retention means to retain the stack of bags in a folded condition, the attachment part of the bags of the stack being received in a separate retainer, the retainer being secured to the stack by co-operation between the retainer formation and the attachment part of the bags of the stack, the folded stack of bags protruding from the retainer so as to allow removal of a bag from the stack.

A plurality of stacks may be received in the retainer.

The stack fold retention means may comprise a jacket surrounding at least part of the stack so as to keep it in a folded condition. The jacket may comprise flexible plastics material, most preferably the material from which the bags of the stack are made. The jacket may comprise a relatively rigid plate which may be arranged at the base of the jacket or in the fold of the stack of bags.

The jacket may include an aperture extending at least from a point between the open mouth and the fold line to the fold line. The aperture of the jacket may extend from the open mouth end of the stack and may extend past the fold line onto the underside of the jacket. The aperture may be closed by a flap which may be removable. The flap may be secured to the jacket so as to close the aperture by means of a perforated line.

The stack fold retention means may comprise a tab projecting from the base of each bag and secured to the attachment part to retain the stack in a folded condition.

The stack preferably projects from the retainer such that the whole of the aperture is exposed. The projecting part of the stack preferably extends from the open mouth end of the stack to the fold line.

The retainer formation preferably comprises a member extending around the attachment part of the stack. Alternatively, the member extends through the attachment part of the stack. The member may form part of the retainer or it may be a separate piece, for example a cable tie. In the latter case the member is secured to the stack of bags and the retainer. Where the stack fold retention means is a tab, the member may also pass through the tab to effect securing of the tab to the attachment part.

A retainer mounting is preferably provided to which retainers can be mounted. The retainer is preferably mounted to the retainer mounting in such a way that the stack of bags projects from the retainer mounting from substantially the horizontal to 45° below the horizontal.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a bag stack assembly comprising a stack of bags removably located in a container, the container having an aperture therein to allow removal of a bag from the stack and a container mounting having a container mounting formation whereby the container is mounted to the container mounting by co-operation with the container mounting formation so as to protrude from the mounting from substantially the horizontal to 45° below the horizontal.

The container may comprise a jacket containing a stack of bags and a separate retainer. Alternatively, the container itself contains a stack of bags.

A plurality of containers may be mounted on the container mounting, one on top of the other.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bag stack assembly in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the retainer of the bag stack assembly of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the stack of bags in one form of jacket for using the bag stack assembly of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a stack of bags in another form of jacket for use in the bag stack assembly of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a retainer mounting of the bag stack assembly of FIG. 1

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the retainer mounter of FIG. 5 carrying two bag stack assemblies similar to that shown in FIG. 1 with some details omitted for clarity,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of two containers for use in a bag stack assembly in accordance with the second aspect of the invention,

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a further retainer for use with the bag stack assembly of FIGS. 1 and 6, and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternative bag stack assembly in accordance with the invention.

In FIG. 1 the bag stack assembly 10 comprises three separate stacks of bags 12 a,b,c, each received in a respective jacket 14 a,b,c. The stacks 12 and jackets 14 are received in a retainer 16.

In FIG. 2 a retainer 16 comprises a hollow cubiodal box with one open face having end walls 18, 20, a rear wall 22, a top wall 24 and a bottom wall 26.

Rectangular retention formations 28, 30 are cut out of the top wall 24 and bent downwardly at right angles to the top wall 24 so as to extend towards the bottom wall 26.

In FIG. 3, one form of jacket 14 is shown.

The jacket 14 encloses a stack of bags 12 of known form. The stack of bags 12 comprises bags of the known “vest style” format. Such bags generally comprise front and rear sheets of material which are joined together along their sides and bases to form closed sides and a closed base and an opposite open mouth end. Handles extend from the open mouth away from the base and are joined together by means of an attachment bar block of bag material at the upper ends spaced from the open mouth end. Optionally, as shown in FIG. 3, an additional tab of material may extend from the attachment bar block to the open mouth end. The handles are separately attached to the attachment bar block at the upper parts by lines of weakening, for example by means of perforations. The additional tab of material is separably attached to the open mouth end either at the open mouth end or at the intersection with the cross part of the attachment bar block. Thus the attachment bar block is either T-shaped or rectangular. In the event that it is simply rectangular, the tab material comes away with the bag when the bag is withdrawn from the stack. A base tab 13 may be provided which extends from the closed base end away from the open mouth end. When the stack is folded, the base tabs 13 are secured to the attachment bar block to retain the stack in folded condition.

The jacket 14 comprises an opening 32 which is closed, initially, by a flap of material 34 which is connected to the remainder of the bag by means of lines of weakening, for example perforations. The opening 32 is arch shaped in FIG. 3 although any suitable shape may be selected. The opening 32 extends from a point adjacent the open mouth end of the stack of bags to the fold line F of the bags.

A pair of apertures 36, 38 are formed through the upper and lower surfaces of the jacket 14 either side of the tab of material connecting the bar block with the mouth end of the bags. The apertures serve to expose the void between the attachment bar block, the handles and the mouth of the bags. The apertures 36, 38 are dimensioned so as to receive the retention formations 28, 30 of the retainer 16.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative form of jacket 14 and parts corresponding to parts in FIG. 3 carry the same reference numerals.

The jacket 14 is substantially similar to that shown in FIG. 3 with the exception that rather than providing two spaced apertures 36, 38, a larger cut out portion 40 is cut away from the jacket 14 so as to expose the attachment bar block and tab of the stack of bags and the voids between the attachment bar block, the handles and the open mouth end of the bags. The cut away portion 40 and the opening 32 give the jacket 14 of FIG. 4 an H-shaped configuration in plan. The upper parts of the “H” surround the handles of the bags of the stack. The connections between the handles and the attachment bar block are preferably exposed by the cut away portion 40. The retention formations 28, 30 extend into the voids between the attachment bar block, the handles and the open mouth end of the bags. The arrangement shown in FIG. 4 is advantageous in that it is retained in the retainer by the handles of the bags of the stack. Consequently, removal of the last bag from the stack frees the jacket 14 for removal from the retainer 16 which, in turn, exposes the next jacket 14 b and stack 12 b down.

FIG. 5 illustrates a mounting 42 for a retainer 16. The mounting 42 comprises a back wall 44, a base wall 46, end walls 48 and 50 and front flaps 52, 54. As shown in FIG. 6, the mounting 42 receives the retainer 16 and the flaps 52, 54 hold the retainer 16 in the mounting 42, preventing its withdrawal from the front. The space between the inner edges of the flaps 52, 54 is sufficient to allow passage of the jackets 14 and stacks 12 of bags retained by the retainer 16. A further retainer 16 may be arranged on top of the first retainer. The detail regarding the bag configuration and the retention formations has been omitted from FIG. 6 for clarity.

In use, multiple retainers carrying a respective multiple set of stacks of bags and jackets 14 can be mounted in the mounting 42 in such a way that the stacks 12 project from the mounting 42. The opening 32 in each jacket 14 allows the withdrawal of bags from the stack and when a jacket 14 is exhausted, it can be removed from the retainer 16 to allow access to the stacks 12 below the uppermost, exhausted stack. Once all of the stacks of bags in a retainer 16 have been exhausted then the retainer 16 can be removed from the mounting 42 by sliding of the retainer 16 upwardly thereof.

FIG. 7 illustrates an existing pre-formed container 56 which retains a stack of bags 12, which container has been adapted to fit into the mounting 42 horizontally rather than vertically. The container 56 has slots 58, 60 cut in opposite side walls thereof adjacent the bar block end of the container. The container 56 can then be arranged in the mounting 42 by sliding the flaps 52, 54 along the slots 58, 60 so that the container 56 projects horizontally therefrom. That provides similar advantage to the arrangement shown in FIG. 6.

It will be appreciated that the slots 58, 60 could be angled slightly so that the container 56 project at an angle below the horizontal from the mounting 52. It is anticipated that the containers would be arranged to extend either horizontally or up to 45° below the horizontal.

In FIG. 8, an alternative form of retainer 16 is shown and parts corresponding to parts in FIG. 2 carry the same reference numerals. In the retainer 16 of FIG. 8, the retention formations 28, 30 are cut away from the top wall 24 and extend to the bottom wall 26. There they are received in slits 62, 64, which arrangement assists in the retention of the stack of bags. That arrangement is particularly advantageous when the retainer is to be made from corrugated card.

In FIG. 9, an alternative bag stack assembly comprises a stack of bags 12 similar to the stack 12 of previous embodiments. However, in the stack 12 of FIG. 9, each bag comprises two base tabs 13 extending from the base end thereof. Each base tab 13 has an aperture 13 a therethrough.

The stack 12 is folded about fold line F.

An alternative form of retainer 16 in FIG. 9 comprises a plate 66 with four apertures 68 (only two shown) therethrough. Two cable ties 70 extend through the apertures 68, around the attachment bar block of the stack, one on each side of the tab between the bar block and the mouth. The cable ties 70 pass through apertures 13 a in the tabs 13 and are secured behind the plate 66. The ties 70 are preferably pulled quite taut so that the base tabs 13 are pulled towards the bar block as close as possible. Alternatively, the ties 70 could extend through apertures (not shown) in the bar block.

The retainer 16 is arranged so that it can be slotted into the mounting 42 or other mounting apparatus. The arrangement of the retainer 16, ties 70, stack 12 and tabs 13 is such that, when mounted in the mounting 42, the folded stack 12 extends initially horizontally. However, due to the weight of the folded stack, the end of the folded stack remote from the retainer droops below the horizontal by angle A. The drooping of the stack tensions the uppermost face of the uppermost bag of the stack in the region of the fold F. This tensioning is advantageous as it assists in ensuring that only one bag is removed from the stack at a time. 

1. A bag stack assembly comprising a stack of bags, each bag in the stack comprising front and back walls with closed sides, a closed base end, an open mouth end opposite the base end and a pair of handles extending from the open mouth end, the handles being connected together by a separate attachment part at a point spaced from the open mouth end, the stack being folded about a fold line extending from one closed side to another closed side, the fold line being arranged between the closed base end and the open mouth end, and stack fold retention means to retain the stack of bags in a folded condition, the attachment part of the bags of the stack being received in a separate retainer, the retainer being secured to the stack by co-operation between the retainer formation and the attachment part of the bags of the stack, the folded stack of bags protruding from the retainer so as to allow removal of a bag from the stack.
 2. A bag stack assembly according to claim 1, in which the stack fold retention means comprises a jacket surrounding at least part of the stack so as to keep it in a folded condition.
 3. A bag stack assembly according to claim 1, in which the stack fold retention means comprises a tab projecting from the base of each bag and secured to the attachment part to retain the stack in a folded condition.
 4. A bag stack assembly according to claim 1 in which the retainer formation comprises a member extending around the attachment part of the stack.
 5. A bag stack assembly according to claim 1 in which the retainer formation comprises a member which extends through the attachment part of the stack.
 6. A bag stack assembly according to claim 1, in which a retainer mounting is provided to which retainers can be mounted.
 7. A bag stack assembly according to claim 6, in which the retainer is mounted to the retainer mounting in such a way that the stack of bags projects from the retainer mounting from substantially the horizontal to 45° below the horizontal.
 8. A bag stack assembly according to claim 1, in which a plurality of stacks is received in the retainer.
 9. A bag stack assembly comprising a stack of bags removably located in a container, the container having an aperture therein to allow removal of a bag from the stack and a container mounting having a container mounting formation whereby the container is mounted to the container mounting by co-operation with the container mounting formation so as to protrude from the mounting from substantially the horizontal to 45° below the horizontal.
 10. A bag stack assembly according to claim 2 in which the retainer formation comprises a member extending around the attachment part of the stack.
 11. A bag stack assembly according to claim 3 in which the retainer formation comprises a member extending around the attachment part of the stack.
 12. A bag stack assembly according to claim 2, in which the retainer formation comprises a member which extends through the attachment part of the stack.
 13. A bag stack assembly according to claim 3, in which the retainer formation comprises a member which extends through the attachment part of the stack. 